Travel Guides

Constitution Hill

A guided tour of the National Heritage Site of Constitution Hill
takes visitors on a journey through South Africa's turbulent past,
but also illustrates its incredible transition into democracy.
There a number of tours of Constitutional Hill.

Tourists can visit the Number Four prison, a dark and terrible
place where Mahatma Ghandi, Robert Sobukwe, and Nelson Mandela were
all incarcerated, along with many other victims of the racial
hierarchy.

The Old Fort, built in 1893 and one of the city's oldest
buildings, which was a prison for white men including British
prisoners of war during the South African War, is also open to the
public.

Visitors also may be interested in checking out the Women's
Prison, a pretty Victorian building where political activists like
Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Albertina Sisulu endured terrible
suffering, and infamous murderess Daisy de Melker was
incarcerated.

Lastly, one might want to visit the Constitutional Court. It is
the institution responsible for ensuring that the human rights
horrors that once characterised Constitution Hill will never occur
again. Tours must be booked in advance via the official website
listed below.

Tours take about an hour and a half and are very informative.
The Constitutional Court is open to the public. Exploring
Constitution Hill provides an interesting overview of the prison
system during apartheid and it is one of Johannesburg's most
fascinating historical attractions.